Former Worthing footballer and his wife of 71 years die days apart, holding hands until the last

Pat and Ron Wood, aged 91 and 94, were from long-standing Worthing families, the Woods and the Punters, and their only child, daughter Nikki Evans said the hospital had been ‘brilliant’.

She said: “They put Mum and Dad in a four-bed bay, just the two of them, so they could hold hands for the last four days before Mum passed away in her sleep.

“After Mum passed away on May 18, they cared for Dad compassionately in his last few days until he passed away on May 23.

“They died together, in a short space of time, after being married for 71 years. Worthing Hospital was brilliant, wonderful and caring. Mum and Dad both had coronavirus and were in the Covid ward. I would like to thank all the team, doctors, nurses and ward clerk on Beacon and Barrow.

“In these challenging times, when visiting is restricted to a minimum, it was never too much trouble to let me speak to them on the iPad.”

Ron was a popular Worthing footballer, who nearly died in his 20s when he was struck down with a mystery illness.

He had been Worthing Football Club’s top goal scorer for season after season since the Second World War when he was hit with heart problems.

He spent a year in hospital in 1953, finally being diagnosed with endocarditis, an infection in the heart, and then faced the devastating news he would never play football again.

It was three years after he and Pat were married and the football club did everything it could to support the couple.

Ron’s style was described as energetic and bustling, either as centre forward or inside forward, and he made 12 appearances for Sussex.

Such was his popularity, the Ron Wood Appeal Fund was set up to help him and enough money was raised to give Ron and Pat the deposit to buy a general store in South Farm Road, Worthing.

The couple had first met outside the post office at the top of Heene Road, when Ron was 22 and Pat was 19. Ron, who was just out of the Royal Navy, was standing outside with his bicycle when Pat popped in to take some money out, and he was still there when she came out. They talked and talked, and it went from there.

They were married at Broadwater Parish Church on April 23, 1949, and set up home in Centrecourt Road, first renting and then buying it for £1,500.

They kept the shop, Ron Wood Stores, for five years, then gave it up because they wanted children.

Nikki was born in 1959 and Ron went into management with Seeboard, working in Shoreham for 21 years.

Pat worked at Marks and Spencer in Worthing town centre for 28 years, then at Goring Hall Hospital for 11 years, and met Princess Margaret when she officially opened it on October 26, 1994. She retired at the age of 73.

They had two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.

Donations, if desired, to Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice or Wadars Animal Rescue, via Ian Hart Funeral Service.

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